We used Saturday Night Science to dig into the most diverse cities in America for 2026. The data comes from the American Community Survey’s latest cohort. This report reflects our eleventh time ranking the most diverse cities in the United States.
We limited our analysis to the 100 biggest cities in America and defined diverse to be the cities with the lowest Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI).
The most diverse city in the United States is Oakland, while the least diverse is Laredo, TX.
Data | Crime | Cost of living
Data | Crime | Cost of living
Data | Crime | Cost of living
Data | Crime | Cost of living
Data | Crime | Cost of living
Data | Crime | Cost of living
Data | Crime | Cost of living
Data | Crime | Cost of living
Data | Crime | Cost of living
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is the United States’s statewide median.
On the map
Where the most diverse cities in America are
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How We Determined The Most Diverse Cities in The US
We decided to look at racial diversity across the United States using the most recently available data — the 2020-2024 American Community Survey data from the US Census. Specifically, we used Saturday Night Science to analyze table B03002: Hispanic Or Latino Origin By Race. Here are the actual categories as defined by the Census:
We then calculated the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI) for each city using the criteria above. This type of analysis defines diversity as having many racial groups of about equal size. It does not define diversity as having a high percentage of non-white population.
- White alone
- Black or African American alone
- American Indian and Alaska Native alone
- Asian alone
- Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone
- Some other race alone
- Two or more races
- Hispanic or Latino
Creating the HHI index left us with scores ranging from 2,274 (Oakland) to 9,050 (Laredo, TX).
Finally, we ranked each city based on the HHI, with a lower score being more diverse than a high score. Oakland took the distinction of being the most diverse, while Laredo, TX was the least diverse city.
We updated this article for 2026. This report is our eleventh time ranking the cities in America with the most diversity.
The full list
Most Diverse Cities In America For 2026
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Population | HHI | % White | % Black | % Hispanic | % Asian |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oakland, CA | 439,418 | 2,274 | 27.8% | 19.7% | 28.7% | 15.7% |
| 2 | Jersey City, NJ | 294,078 | 2,297 | 23.5% | 19.2% | 25.7% | 26.5% |
| 3 | Sacramento, CA | 528,706 | 2,316 | 29.3% | 11.8% | 29.4% | 20.1% |
| 4 | Enterprise, NV | 240,464 | 2,395 | 36.2% | 10.9% | 18.9% | 23.0% |
| 5 | New York, NY | 8,483,844 | 2,419 | 31.0% | 20.4% | 28.5% | 14.6% |
| 6 | Chicago, IL | 2,711,226 | 2,726 | 32.1% | 27.4% | 29.7% | 7.2% |
| 7 | Arlington, TX | 397,742 | 2,752 | 34.1% | 22.1% | 32.2% | 7.3% |
| 8 | Orlando, FL | 319,758 | 2,772 | 31.2% | 22.2% | 35.4% | 4.8% |
| 9 | North Las Vegas, NV | 278,595 | 2,794 | 23.4% | 20.6% | 41.7% | 7.0% |
| 10 | Boston, MA | 666,442 | 2,827 | 44.1% | 19.3% | 19.3% | 10.3% |
| 11 | Philadelphia, PA | 1,579,706 | 2,893 | 33.2% | 38.3% | 15.6% | 7.9% |
| 12 | San Francisco, CA | 830,235 | 2,898 | 36.8% | 4.7% | 16.2% | 34.9% |
| 13 | Irving, TX | 256,492 | 2,901 | 17.8% | 12.7% | 43.4% | 23.1% |
| 14 | Milwaukee, WI | 566,973 | 2,916 | 31.7% | 37.9% | 20.9% | 5.0% |
| 15 | San Diego, CA | 1,389,526 | 2,917 | 40.9% | 5.3% | 29.8% | 17.3% |
| 15 | Long Beach, CA | 455,548 | 2,918 | 26.2% | 11.4% | 43.8% | 12.7% |
| 17 | Charlotte, NC | 903,844 | 2,923 | 38.1% | 33.3% | 17.5% | 6.5% |
| 18 | Stockton, CA | 322,326 | 2,936 | 16.8% | 10.8% | 45.6% | 20.8% |
| 19 | Fort Worth, TX | 963,194 | 2,944 | 36.5% | 19.3% | 34.6% | 5.4% |
| 20 | Aurora, CO | 394,432 | 2,958 | 41.0% | 15.3% | 31.4% | 6.0% |
| 21 | Las Vegas, NV | 660,400 | 2,985 | 39.7% | 11.2% | 34.7% | 7.0% |
| 22 | San Jose, CA | 990,138 | 3,005 | 22.3% | 2.7% | 30.8% | 39.2% |
| 23 | Durham, NC | 291,467 | 3,015 | 40.3% | 33.2% | 15.2% | 5.8% |
| 24 | Buffalo, NY | 276,854 | 3,025 | 42.4% | 31.3% | 12.3% | 8.7% |
| 25 | Garland, TX | 246,844 | 3,041 | 24.2% | 15.1% | 45.7% | 11.3% |
| 26 | Houston, TX | 2,328,253 | 3,050 | 23.2% | 22.3% | 44.2% | 6.9% |
| 27 | Tampa, FL | 401,618 | 3,073 | 44.3% | 19.5% | 26.2% | 4.7% |
| 28 | Plano, TX | 290,594 | 3,100 | 46.6% | 8.7% | 16.7% | 23.6% |
| 29 | Dallas, TX | 1,307,930 | 3,120 | 27.6% | 22.9% | 42.6% | 3.8% |
| 30 | St. Paul, MN | 307,284 | 3,191 | 50.0% | 15.7% | 9.5% | 17.8% |
| 31 | Santa Clarita, CA | 230,221 | 3,209 | 41.2% | 4.3% | 36.3% | 12.0% |
| 32 | Tulsa, OK | 413,794 | 3,221 | 50.5% | 13.7% | 19.8% | 3.4% |
| 33 | Winston-Salem, NC | 252,037 | 3,225 | 43.6% | 31.2% | 18.2% | 2.3% |
| 34 | Los Angeles, CA | 3,857,263 | 3,237 | 28.1% | 8.1% | 47.2% | 11.9% |
| 35 | Washington, DC | 681,294 | 3,246 | 36.5% | 41.6% | 11.9% | 4.3% |
| 35 | Oklahoma City, OK | 697,125 | 3,246 | 50.0% | 13.1% | 22.1% | 4.5% |
| 37 | Jacksonville, FL | 977,670 | 3,262 | 46.8% | 29.3% | 12.6% | 5.0% |
| 38 | Greensboro, NC | 301,198 | 3,292 | 38.1% | 41.0% | 10.5% | 5.2% |
| 39 | Urban Honolulu, HI | 345,482 | 3,293 | 16.1% | 1.5% | 6.9% | 51.8% |
| 40 | Anchorage, AK | 288,976 | 3,321 | 54.2% | 4.8% | 9.5% | 9.8% |
| 41 | Irvine, CA | 311,690 | 3,342 | 34.3% | 1.9% | 11.4% | 44.6% |
| 42 | Norfolk, VA | 233,596 | 3,353 | 41.2% | 38.9% | 10.1% | 3.6% |
| 43 | Cleveland, OH | 366,097 | 3,375 | 33.7% | 45.1% | 13.2% | 2.6% |
| 44 | Austin, TX | 979,539 | 3,379 | 47.0% | 7.3% | 31.9% | 8.9% |
| 45 | Indianapolis, IN | 885,860 | 3,382 | 48.9% | 27.6% | 13.8% | 4.2% |
| 46 | Fresno, CA | 545,970 | 3,414 | 23.8% | 6.5% | 50.9% | 14.2% |
| 47 | Raleigh, NC | 481,031 | 3,497 | 51.1% | 26.0% | 12.6% | 5.2% |
| 47 | Port St. Lucie, FL | 232,491 | 3,497 | 50.4% | 19.0% | 24.0% | 2.1% |
| 49 | Richmond, VA | 229,359 | 3,497 | 41.4% | 40.6% | 10.7% | 2.1% |
| 50 | Phoenix, AZ | 1,642,323 | 3,501 | 40.6% | 7.4% | 42.0% | 4.0% |
| 51 | Newark, NJ | 310,178 | 3,524 | 8.9% | 44.8% | 37.6% | 2.0% |
| 52 | Columbus, OH | 914,802 | 3,545 | 50.6% | 29.1% | 8.3% | 5.9% |
| 53 | Glendale, AZ | 252,833 | 3,589 | 41.6% | 6.0% | 42.2% | 4.2% |
| 54 | Atlanta, GA | 505,268 | 3,599 | 38.0% | 45.5% | 6.2% | 5.2% |
| 55 | Chandler, AZ | 280,136 | 3,603 | 54.2% | 5.1% | 21.7% | 11.7% |
| 56 | Anaheim, CA | 344,521 | 3,686 | 22.8% | 2.3% | 53.2% | 18.0% |
| 57 | Cincinnati, OH | 311,224 | 3,716 | 48.2% | 36.3% | 6.1% | 2.6% |
| 58 | Albuquerque, NM | 562,218 | 3,736 | 37.5% | 3.0% | 47.7% | 3.2% |
| 59 | Kansas City, MO | 510,612 | 3,740 | 54.0% | 25.2% | 12.5% | 2.8% |
| 60 | Tucson, AZ | 547,073 | 3,753 | 43.3% | 4.8% | 42.8% | 3.1% |
| 61 | St. Louis, MO | 288,512 | 3,805 | 44.4% | 42.1% | 5.3% | 3.5% |
| 62 | Chesapeake, VA | 252,583 | 3,807 | 53.8% | 28.5% | 7.7% | 3.8% |
| 63 | Denver, CO | 718,877 | 3,811 | 54.0% | 8.6% | 28.0% | 3.6% |
| 64 | Henderson, NV | 332,141 | 3,812 | 57.5% | 6.5% | 18.1% | 9.5% |
| 65 | Arlington, VA | 236,254 | 3,840 | 58.0% | 9.3% | 15.9% | 10.5% |
| 66 | Bakersfield, CA | 411,986 | 3,853 | 27.6% | 5.7% | 54.7% | 7.8% |
| 67 | Lubbock, TX | 264,814 | 3,879 | 49.6% | 7.7% | 36.6% | 2.7% |
| 68 | Riverside, CA | 319,069 | 3,889 | 26.1% | 5.9% | 55.6% | 8.0% |
| 69 | New Orleans, LA | 371,853 | 3,898 | 30.1% | 53.9% | 8.2% | 2.8% |
| 70 | Seattle, WA | 754,195 | 3,932 | 58.8% | 6.4% | 8.5% | 17.5% |
| 71 | Reno, NV | 273,212 | 3,962 | 56.6% | 3.0% | 25.8% | 6.9% |
| 71 | Virginia Beach, VA | 456,349 | 3,962 | 58.9% | 18.2% | 9.1% | 7.0% |
| 73 | Minneapolis, MN | 427,246 | 3,965 | 58.8% | 18.6% | 10.1% | 5.3% |
| 74 | Toledo, OH | 267,463 | 3,992 | 55.8% | 27.6% | 9.1% | 1.3% |
| 75 | Wichita, KS | 397,945 | 4,048 | 59.5% | 9.3% | 19.0% | 4.9% |
| 76 | Louisville/Jefferson County Metro Government (Balance), KY | 631,818 | 4,148 | 59.4% | 22.1% | 9.5% | 2.9% |
| 77 | Baltimore, MD | 573,243 | 4,190 | 26.0% | 58.5% | 8.2% | 2.6% |
| 78 | Chula Vista, CA | 276,375 | 4,208 | 15.3% | 4.7% | 61.1% | 14.2% |
| 79 | Fort Wayne, IN | 268,589 | 4,375 | 63.2% | 14.0% | 10.6% | 6.1% |
| 80 | Mesa, AZ | 511,764 | 4,382 | 60.1% | 3.7% | 26.9% | 2.4% |
| 81 | Pittsburgh, PA | 304,759 | 4,396 | 61.9% | 22.1% | 4.5% | 6.1% |
| 82 | St. Petersburg, FL | 262,732 | 4,418 | 62.7% | 19.0% | 9.6% | 3.6% |
| 83 | Omaha, NE | 488,837 | 4,444 | 63.4% | 11.4% | 16.2% | 4.0% |
| 84 | Memphis, TN | 618,980 | 4,547 | 22.4% | 62.7% | 10.4% | 1.7% |
| 85 | Portland, OR | 641,165 | 4,616 | 65.8% | 5.5% | 12.0% | 8.0% |
| 86 | Colorado Springs, CO | 487,887 | 4,696 | 65.2% | 5.3% | 19.3% | 2.9% |
| 87 | Gilbert, AZ | 280,262 | 4,704 | 65.6% | 3.2% | 17.9% | 6.7% |
| 88 | Corpus Christi, TX | 317,419 | 4,727 | 29.2% | 3.8% | 62.0% | 2.5% |
| 89 | San Antonio, TX | 1,479,835 | 4,757 | 23.0% | 6.4% | 64.6% | 2.9% |
| 90 | Lexington-Fayette Urban County, KY | 323,725 | 4,794 | 66.8% | 14.4% | 9.5% | 4.3% |
| 91 | Madison, WI | 278,001 | 5,070 | 69.6% | 7.2% | 9.4% | 8.0% |
| 92 | Miami, FL | 459,745 | 5,406 | 12.1% | 11.9% | 71.5% | 1.6% |
| 93 | Detroit, MI | 638,530 | 5,820 | 10.8% | 75.0% | 8.3% | 1.7% |
| 94 | Lincoln, NE | 294,856 | 5,976 | 76.3% | 4.1% | 9.0% | 4.4% |
| 95 | Santa Ana, CA | 312,534 | 6,105 | 8.9% | 0.7% | 76.6% | 12.3% |
| 96 | Scottsdale, AZ | 243,821 | 6,108 | 77.1% | 2.1% | 10.6% | 4.9% |
| 97 | Spokane, WA | 230,293 | 6,152 | 77.6% | 2.8% | 8.4% | 2.5% |
| 98 | Boise City, ID | 237,242 | 6,456 | 79.5% | 1.6% | 9.6% | 3.6% |
| 99 | El Paso, TX | 680,130 | 6,753 | 12.0% | 3.2% | 81.2% | 1.3% |
| 100 | Laredo, TX | 257,619 | 9,050 | 3.5% | 0.5% | 95.1% | 0.5% |
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024. The 100 largest US cities.
Summary
Summary: The Most Diverse Big Cities In America
The most diverse cities in the United States are Oakland, CA, Jersey City, NJ, Sacramento, CA, Enterprise, NV, New York, NY, Chicago, IL, Arlington, TX, Orlando, FL, North Las Vegas, NV, and Boston, MA.
Based on recent trends, the West, particularly California, might continue to dominate this list for decades. The rest of the country would need to attract a larger pool of Asian residents to make them more racially diverse.
But until then, we’ll keep seeing California cities atop the list.
